Detachable handle



July 15, 1947. v. A. HERR 2,424,094

DETACHABLE HANDLE Filed Sept. 7, 1 944 INVENTOR. VINCENTAHER R ATTORNEY Patented July 15, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs 2,424,094 DETACHABLE HANDLE Vincent A. Herr, Collinsville, Ill. Application September 7, 1944, Serial No. 553,079

1 This invention relates to improvements in containers and separable side handles therefor, and

particularly to a quick-detachable, resilient ham-- die of low-cost construction, adapted for attachment to small metal containers such as tinned cans or the like, to enable usage thereof as drinking and pouring containers.

A considerable proportion of brewery products such as beer, ale, etc. is currently dispensed in crimped metal receptacles such as tinned cans. Similarly, a large proportion of the commercial canned fruits and vegetables are still dispensed in sealed metal cans, characterized by beaded crimped ends. It is obviously highly desirable, particularly in view of current shortages of metal cups and the like, to enable commercial metal cans of these types to be utilized for drinking and pouring purposes, as in taverns, roadside eating establishments, on picnics, and in many other similar fields of usage. It may be noted that many of the more prevalent types of can openers particularly those of so-called rotary type, serve completely to cut out the end internally of the can head, so as to fold the metal inwardly close to the bead at one end of the container. It is in connection with metal cans thus opened, that the present improvements are particularly applicable, and the attainment of a useful low cost handle for application to such a con--. tainer forms a general objective of the present invention.

Yet another object of the invention is attained in a quick detachable handle which may be formed at low cost of a single piece of strip metal or other suitable material, and which may, without tools or any special skill, be quickly attached to and removed from a metal can or the like provided with end beads or chimes.

Yet another object of the invention is attained in a quickly attachable and detachable handle for the general purpose noted, which will securely support a filled container with which it is used, and which requires no drilling or other special processing of the container for application of the handle.

Yet another important object of the invention is attained in the construction of a handle for the general purposes noted, which may be easily formed of readily available short lengths of strip metal.

The foregoing and numerous other objects will 1 Claim. (01. 16-114) more clearly appear from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, particularly when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top or plan view of a handled container embodying the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the container assembly, and

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the handle, as same would appear when separate from the container.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, there is indicated at O a container which may consist of a conventional beer can or the like, or by further example, a conventional commercial vegetable can from which the uppermost head has been cut in such manner that there remains projecting at the upper end, a closely crimped end bead B-l; the bottom of the can will remain after removal of the upper head for opening, and there similarly remains as in the and features of the handle, this is formed of a strip of material say of 14 or 16 gauge mild steel, although the particular gauge of metal employed is not critical, within wide limits. The material selected is either initially such, or may be so treated as to impart thereto a substantial resilience, particularly in an endwise direction. As will be noted from the drawing, the handle when attached to the container, forms therewith a hand opening between the handle and container which is substantially of the shape of the letter D, or otherwise expressed, the handle itself in combination with the container, presents such a shape. Considered alone, the form and resilience of the handle are such that it may be referred to as of bow shaping. Although obvious, if desired, a similar result might logically be attained by a more nearly directly U shape of handle resulting from its formation with upper and lower portions somewhat angularly related to its vertical portion, considered in its position of usage. In the preferred form shown, however, the central or intermediate body of the handle is indicated at A which portion is somewhat rounded or arcuate, and which at its upper and lower end,

merges into upper and lower arm portions A--l and A2. Formed on the inner end of each of the arms A-l and A-2, is a bead grip or plurality thereof, each of which consists of a fold or bight portion 0, an outermost bead-engaging portion B and an innermost bead-engaging portion D, thev portions B and D being so related as barely to accommodate therebetween, one of the end beads B-l or 13-2 so that, as the terminal clamp or grip at each end of the handle is brought to overlie and grip the adjacent can bead, it is by preference frictionally retained on the head in a manner to preclude any tendency of the handle to rotate about the axis of the can. It will be noted as a further preference that the portion D of each end clamp or grip is somewhat backwardly or'outwardly directed in promotion of the feature last described.

It is a preference, although not strictly necessary. that the bead clamping arrangement at each end of the handle, be embodied in a pair of bead grips at each end of the handle, substantially as shown. This arrangement results in a somewhat more stable connection between handle and container, in precluding any tendency of the two elements to rock with respect to each other. Ac-

cordingly, and as shown in preferred form, the.

end of each of the arms A-l and A--2 is divided in a direction longitudinally of'the end portion of the handle-forming strip, so as to result in a pair of divergent furcations F and E. One of the grip structures is formed on each of the furcations, and in order to realize a more favorable angle of engagement thereof with the and beads of the container, the bead gripping parts are formed to lie at an acute angle to a longitudinal median plane through the handle body. It will now appear that by thus engaging the can in two angularly spaced zones along each of the end beads, better stability and resistance to relative rocking movement of can and handle are provided for.

It should be noted as a preference to die-form the strip to constitute the handle, and so to select the material and determine it resilience that the overall length of handle in repose prior to attachment to the can, is somewhat less than the overall height of the can. From this it results that when the handle is applied to bring its portions B-D over the beads of the can, the handle is somewhat flattened and is longitudinally stressed, with the now obvious result that this resilience serves to maintain firmly, the plurality of elements 3-1), in removably clamped relation to the can beads.

The manner of usage of the improved handle is thought to have been obvious from the foregoing description of its parts and purposes, but it may be briefly noted that merely by spreading the fingers of one hand internally of the handle, there results the required spreading movement of the handle to bring the clamping portions aforesaid, slightly over and in registration with the can beads. Release of this tensloning movement of the fingers results in the tendency of the handle to restore itself to initial length, and thus to serve as a gripping spring in maintaining the position of the handle with respect to the can with the several clamping portions BD in place on its beads. Obviously if desired, the furcations E and F may be replaced by a single bead grip at each 'end of the handle without departure from the intended scope of present improvements.

It will now have appeared that the novel handle and handled container combination will serve fully to realize the several objects hereinabove expressed. The detail of present description should be explained as illustrative, and not as limiting, inasmuch as numerous variants in structure may be made within the scope oi the claim hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

A resilient, substantially D-shaped handle formed of a single piece of resilient strip metal, each end of the handle being bifurcated and with the furcations at each end in divergent relation to each other, each furcation being provided with a somewhat V-shaped hook end, the divergence of the ends being such that they are spaced apart a distance substantially exceeding the width of the strip, said hook ends each adapted to overlie and to grip the chimes or beads of an end bead container, whereby the handle may be readily attached to and removed from a standard tinned can to enable use of the can as a drinking container or the like when one end thereof is removed, the handle being when detached, of less length than the overall height of the can, whereby, when the handle is applied, it is yieldably stressed lengthwise of the can for retention of the hook ends in gripping relation to the heads at the end of the can, the handle being characterized by upper and lower arms extended outwardly from the bifurcated portions at a distinct angle to the side wall of the can, at each end thereof, and the arms being connected by a uniformly and widely curved, outwardly bowed manual grip portion, the length of which approximates the length of the can, and all parts of the manual grip portion being, by reason of the length and angle of the said arms, spaced distinctly away from the body of the can to which the handle is connected.

- VINCENT A. HERR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,010,317 Olson Aug, 6, 1935 1,505,369 Brown Aug; 19, 1924 2,128,466 Machotka Aug. 30, 1938 2,262,339 Shafier Nov. 11, 1941 894,725 Cooper July 28, 1908 1,431,792 Hassler Oct. 10, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,793 Great Britain 1909 

